This is a zine dedicated to death/thrash, technical and traditional death metal for more info contact hatredmeanswar@yahoo.com looking for new authors do to lack of time to cover everything email me at the email listed above if you want to do reviews and interviews for the blog.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Dehuman are a band from Belgium that has been featured before in this zine and plays an old school mixture of death and thrash metal and this is a review of their 2015 album "Graveyard of Eden" which will be released in March by Kaotoxin Records.

A very dark and heavy sound starts off the album and a few seconds alter blast beats, growls and screams start becoming a huge part of the recording along with some riffs that also add in melodies at times and after awhile solos and leads are added into certain sections of the recording and the music also has a more brutal approach this time around.

On the later tracks the band starts mixing their more extreme and darker side of old school thrash in with their brutal death metal sound and the music on the recording has a very up to date feeling along with a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the songs stick to a very heavy musical direction and the last song also brings in a small amount of clean playing and is also very long and epic in length.

Dehuman plays a style of death metal on this recording that is both old school yet brutal at the same time and also mixes in a touch of thrash to create a very heavy sounding album, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover darkness and occultism themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Dehuman and if you are a fan of this band, you should enjoy this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Crypts of Blood" "Temple Of Lust And Fire" and "Goddess of Sins". 8 out of 10.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Godless Angel are a 1 man band from Kansas that plays a mixture of death and thrash metal and this is a review of his 2015 album "Harvester of Shadows" which will be released in February by Inverse Records.

Clean playing which is also used on some of the other tracks as well starts off the album along with giving the recording a very dark atmosphere and a few seconds later guitar leads which can also be very melodic at times become a huge part off the songs along with a great amount of heavy riffing that is very heavily influenced by thrash metal and also incorporates a great amount of melody.

After the intro the music starts getting a lot more aggressive and also adds in mid 80's style death metal growls and screams that are also easier to understand a lot more than the modern bands while the solos really start demonstrating a great amount of skill and talent and the songs also use a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with a great amount of blast beats being utilized during the faster sections of the recording and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them and some of the tracks also bring in elements of groove.

Godless Angel plays a style of death and thrash metal that is very heavily rooted in the mid 80's and early 90's and also adds in a good amount of melody and darkness into his musical sound, the production sounds very professional and also makes an old school style sound more modern while the lyrics cover Horror, Death and Occultism themes.

In my opinion Godless Angel are a very great sounding mixture of death and thrash metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this solo project. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Contaminated Breach In Sector B" "Suffering the Wrath Of the Goddess" and "Disemboweling The Deranged". 8 out of 10.

Friday, January 23, 2015

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Sure!! I (Damy) got a couple of endorsement with NY clothing brand EXPLORE APPAREL and UK strings manufacture company.
DOVETAIL STRINGS; I also design new t shirts which are currently still on sale together with the album.
I also got in touch with RAN GUITARS (polish company who endorsed artists like Cannibal Corpse, Annihilator, Vader, Obscura etc) and the company will release a PULVIS ET UMBRA crusher 6 artist model during the end of 2015.
From January 2015 the band engaged 3 session live musician after deal a yearly cooperation with booking agency FULL METAL SERVICE

2.In 2014 you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
First of all I have to say it was it was an interesting challenge for me due that I record all instruments / vocals; that was the main difference between the previous release. The album is a mix of songs which I cannot succeed to release during my early years with the band due to lack of musical knowledge while other part of songs was written during the last month of the band itself so I added them new idea/arrangements and wrote all lyrics. I would like to describe PULVIS ET UMBRA music as a kind of turning circle due that our first release was a half acoustic EP ; I’m already writing some material for a couple of new EPs and the second one will be surely acoustic as well ☺

3.The band has been around since 2001 but so far has only released 2 demo's and 2 full length's, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap between releases?
Those gap were all due to line up changes … it’s a situation that suck because You waste a lot amount of time finding people really interested in a project who rehears with together for let them learn song and this point of course bring You to stop live activity and songwriting . It’s also funny to see the huge difference of time spent between recording a full length as a band instead of a one man act (second choice will works better)

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Well, 90% of the lyrics talk about life experience, moods, feelings, personal point of view etc. Being also a fan of space mission I decide to dedicate a couple of lyrics (“Kosmonaut” - taken from album Reaching The end - and “Lost Moon”) to those spacemen hehehe

5.I know that the band name is latin 'for dust and shadow' and was a quotation of the Roman Poet Horace, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
You’re right, PULVIS ET UMBRA stays per DUST AND SHADOW; I can’t deny that it probably could fits better for a black metal or doom band but I liked it and I decided to keep it in latin due that in my opinion sounds cool than the english form… that’s all ☺

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
It’s a hard to fill a kind of list but I surely report the Slovakian mini tour in 2009, the show with BLOOD TSUNAMI in 2008, our performance at BERGAMO METAL FEST and our first gigs at two great Italian venues (THUNDER ROAD /and JCAFE )
The main word before go on stage in “have fun and let people enjoy the gig” but at the same time no one must have to play drunk, I hate those things….

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Yes!! PULVIS ET UMBRA will play in Russia from march 6 up to march 14 supporting Uk band BLOODSHOT DAWN then we’ll open a couple of gigs for Swedish groove metallers CHUGGER in may (Switzerland + Germany) .

8.Currently the band is signed to Pavement Entertainment, how did you get in contact with this label and also how would you describe the support they have given you so far?
I sent an email plus press kit and audio links to different label ‘til Mark Nawara from PAVEMENT got in touch with me and we deal a digital distribution for the album . Actually the 90% of the press and review contact are still manage by myself

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and thrash metal?
Well, I consider PULVIS ET UMBRA as still an underground band but it’s nice to check that people from US, Russian, Spain, Uk are discovering us and like our stuff; it’s the best reward that an artist could receive ☺

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I’m an open mind person but adding too much influences in extreme metal isn’t always the best choice; actually I’m writing new stuff mixing crossover, polyrhythm and few black metal influences; it sound not bad even if arpeggio off course will be always a main element in my way of playing

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I start play guitar after listening to METALLICA “Metallica”; 80’s thrash metal, hard rock and both Scandinavian/American death schools will be of course my main roots. Actually I listen to almost each type of genre, from trance to industrial, from celtic music up to movie soundtracks etc… I listen to everything I like ☺

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Travelling, driving, reading books, movies, hang out at the pub with friends, conceptual works, sleeping, tattoo and mojito of course hahah

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Support us on FB at www.facebook.com/pulvisetumbraofficial and support TrueBringerOfDeath because metal blog/zine are actually better
than each famous webzine or magazine \m/ You rock.

Need to catch a breath haha… the band gladly has been busy none stop, we are confirming more shows and getting more deals on board which will be announced in due time.

2.So far you have released a demo, an ep and 2 full lengths, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

Ans:

Cutting this short and brief, the records have been a learning process for us. We developed and progressed maturely as a band throughout the years and the records are there to testify on this account.

Simply put, each single release can be viewed as a snapshot or a time frame the band went through while writing and recording the album. There will always be a “Nervecell Sound” yet the way its put and crafted might change in terms of song creation and composition. Keeping the thrash/death sound, external elements were always experimented like the addition of other musical instruments, percussions, even different musical moods.

3.Your last full length was released in 2011, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during the past 4 years?

Ans:

Due to great feedback and support from the genre the band was received internationally and nationally, Nervecell has been touring intensively. Territories ranging from Asia, Europe, UK, and the Middle East. We supported and toured with Metallica, Suffocation, Morbid Angel, and Decapitated to name a few.

Basically promoting the album in every given opportunity possible while growing and solidifying our fan base and network world-wide. I would also like to add that the writing process for a new album has already started and the band is stoked.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Ans:

That’s a very good question, as I am handling the lyrical aspect of Nervecell. The band since in its early days have been all about humanitarian issues, more over we touch base on factors that not only effect us but all humanity in society. Its clear we have always been going through hard times and when I say we I am talking about the whole world. Politics, Religion, and Wars do seem to be the cliché subjects spoken about in this genre. We don’t point fingers or focus completely on the above topics mentioned.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nervecell'?

Ans: It really is a mix of two words put together, it was Barney (guitarist) who came up with it, basically trying to capture the state of mind of having no escape and being isolated. So the word “cell” (like a prison cell) seemed appropriate to depict that feeling of being locked up and feeling helpless. The expression of someone getting on your nerves and frustrating you is something we have all been through and so the word “nerve” came about and hence the band name.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Ans:

Nervecell has and always will be a live band. Our shows are energetic and crazy where ever we go. Never the less the band is grateful to have shared and toured with bands on the road. We have made friends with fans, idols, musicians etc. all which we are thankful for.

Few highlights clearly emerge here like supporting METALLICA in our region, touring with bands like Suffocation, Deicide, Morbid Angel, and Decapitated, all are times spent that we will always cherish and remember.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Ans:

The band has already announced a couple of festival shows in Europe for this year and the list will increase. We also intend to hit Europe again with a couple of tours in 2015. Along with touring Asia and playing some shows here in the Middle East. Hopefully the band will be touring the United States soon to support the release of Psychogenocide.

8.On your last album you has Karl Sanders of Nile play guitar on one of your tracks, do you feel this has helped get the band name out there heard?

Ans:

Correction: Karl Sander of Nile was featured on Shunq as a “Guest Vocalist”.
I have always wanted to create something that is fresh and original, by contributing to the metal genre globally.

Featuring someone famous as my brother Karl Sanders was not for publicity purposes alone. We always grown up listening to Nile, and clearly the name and music Nile plays, is magically inspired by this area we come from. It was a perfect match and the right thing to do for this song. The track involves Arabic and English lyrics to add more intensity. The feedback has been insane especially performing this song live.

9.Unique Leader are re-issuing your 2011 album this year, can you tell us a little bit more about the deal?

Ans:

By getting on board with Unique Leader, the album will be able to reach new territories, new markets, and further grow our fan base. When they heard our music they loved it, and also decided that Psychogenocide be rereleased mainly because it will and is a new product to be distributed in the States. We decided that Unique Leader is the next big step in our career and we are so happy about it.

10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and thrash metal?

Ans:

The feedback has been amazing since the release. Not only fans but also people involved in the creation of this music. From riffs, solos, to blast beats, we the band would not record something if we felt it was not something we like or believed in. Our gut feelings and respect to this music paid off with amazing response from everyone out there.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Ans:

People should be expecting another release late 2015 or early 2016. This is the strategy we are following since we signed this new record deal.

The band will continue to experiment with instruments and percussions that represent this region. The new music will definitely be brutal, fast, groovy, and thrashy, with a lot of catchy riffs.

Lyrically, people should expect more Arabic in the songs, and since I have been personally running through tough times for reasons I kindly wish to disclose, the theme will be very dark, twisted and spiritually evil.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Ans:

Clearly styles ranging from Pantera and Testament to Deicide and Suffocation. It’s this music that we have always been proud of and grown up listening to.

Nowadays I have been listening to Decapitated’s new crushing album “Blood Mantra”, along with Misery Index.
I am also a huge fan of this new exploding band Havok the thrashers from “Denver” and I have to say this they give old school thrash metal a good name.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Ans:

I love reading and writing poetry. I enjoy all sorts of sports especially MMA and Rugby. And to add a bit of personal glamour I love cooking.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Ans:
USA… I hope you enjoy the album, expect us to crash your stages very soon and see you all brothers and sisters in the pit. Hails and bless you all.
Thank you Bringer of Death, good job and stay brutal.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

-We are a Finnish death metal group. Our homebase is at Espoo, although none of us live there.We play brutal and technical death metal.

2.So far you have released 2 ep's, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

-Very fast, raw, dark, brutal and chaotic.

3.The band has been around since 2008 but waited 5 years to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the delay?

-The band was founded in 2008 under the name of Mictian. A former guitarist suggested a name change to Cauldron of Hate in 2011.The formation changed in 2012 with a new drummer and one new guitarist. We found our sound in 2013 and headed straight to studio.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

-We have some bits of finnish folklore "Kalevala" and the basic ingredients of death metal lyrics like slaughtering masses, blasphemy etc.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cauldron of Hate'?

-Although Cannibal Corpse has a song called "A cauldron of hate", our name has nothing to do with it. We just like to concentrate our hate to simple kitchen utensils.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

-We had one gig ("Kuritushuone[=Torturechamber]XXIV")in a metal/rock bar in Helsinki called "PRKL". We aso performed with NOXA from indonesiain a small underground gig ("miniTUSKA"). At the stage our performance is rugged and in your face with a HAMMMER!

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?-Of course.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

-We have a steady fanbase in Australia (1 person) and nobody has had the guts to tell us we suck.

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

-Truthfully speaking in early 2016 or later because we're broke. No money. Nada. We're going to add a little bit of technicalities, a lot of brutality and going deeper into inferno of madness.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

-Nile, Krisiun, Death, Slayer, Metallica, Morbid Angel, Behemoth, mostly american death metal anyway. Also classical music and a bit of progressive metal.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

-Drinking and fucking around.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

-Keep it brutal, support your local metal scene and remember to remember. If you don't, you might forget.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Apocrophex are a band from New jersey that has been featured before in this zine and plays a very technical form of death metal and this is a review of their 2015 album "Suspended From the Cosmic Altaar" which will be released in March by Manisidic Records.

A very dark and technical death metal sound starts off the album along with blast beats being added into certain sections of the recording and the vocals also bring in a good balance between growls, shouts and screams along with a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them.

Melodic riffing can be heard throughout the recording along with the solos bringing in more of a technical and melodic sound to the bands musical style and at times the music brings in a great amount of brutality and the songs also bring in a decent mixture of old school and modern death metal influence s which they combine together on this album.

Apocrophex creates another death metal album that is very brutal and technical sounding while also displaying a great amount of talent and skill as musicians, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover unknown, cryptic, occult and hidden topics.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Apocrophex and if you are a fan of technical death metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Evidence of A Desolate Planet" "Suspended From The Cosmic Altaar" "The Nine Patterns Of Annu" and "Exposed organics". 8 out of 10.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Cauldron Of Hate are a band from Finland that plays a very dark and heavy form of death metal and this is a review of their 2015 ep "Emperor" which was released by Inverse Records.

Horror movie samples start off the ep before going into more of a heavy, dark and brutal death metal direction along with some fast playing and blast beats which leads up to growling vocals making their presence known on the recording and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them.

A good portion of the music is rooted in the mid 90's to early 2000's style of death metal and you can also hear some melody in the bands musical style at times and the solos and leads they use also b ring in even more of an aggressive and chaotic style of death metal and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the musical instruments on the recording have a very powerful sound to them and on the last track a small amount of synths are mixed in with the heavier sound and make the music a lot more epic.

Cauldron Of Hate plays a style of death metal that is very dark, heavy and brutal sounding and there is never a soft or weak moment to be heard anywhere on the recording, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover dark and violent themes.

In my opinion Cauldron Of Hate are a very great sounding death metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Slaughterfest" and "Empire Of Annihilation". 8 out of 10.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Pulvis Et Umbra are a band from Italy that plays a mixture of death and thrash metal with a touch of metalcore and this is a review of their 2014 album "Implosion Of Pain" which was released by Pavement Entertainment.

Electronic music sounds and spoken word samples start off the album and after the intro the music starts going into a modern day mixture of death and thrash metal along with some hardcore style vocals that also mix in death metal growls at times and a decent amount of melody and blast beats and the solos and leads that the band uses bring a melodic sound to the bands musical style along with a small amount of clean parts.

Spoken word parts do make their return in certain sections of the recording and you can also hear elements of groove metal in the bands musical style along with a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and some of the tracks bring whispers into certain sections of some of the songs along with a slight middle eastern feeling being brought in on one of the tracks and the blast beats also bring in a brutal sound at times.

Pulvis Et Umbra plays a very modern style of extreme metal that mixes thrash, metalcore and groove with the heaviness to create their own style, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover dark and angry themes.

In my opinion Pulvis Et Umbra are a very decent sounding mixture of death metal, thrash and metalcore and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Lost Moon" "Implosion Of Pain" "Ordinary Scars" and "Look Through The Eyes". 7/5 out of 10.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

This is a review of a death metal compilation that was released by Darknagar Records and consists of Russian bands and we will review the songs one by one.

1.Endless Gloom brings us "Gooddie" a song that goes for more of a raw and brutal style of death metal along with a great amount of blast beats, growling vocals, a small dose of high pitched screams and the song has more of a modern take on the genre.

2.Kraworath brings us "Complete Body Disposal" a song that a very brutal sounding song that mixes death metal and grindcore together along with a great amount of blast beats and a decent mixture of growls and screams.

3.Inderterminable brings us "Symbols That Disappeared" a song that continues the brutal style of death metal that has dominated the compilation so far and the music is in the more modern style of this genre along with some slam elements.

4.Dennis Schvarts Project brings us "Ancient Room" a song that goes for more of a darker style of death metal while also bringing in a decent amount of melody and adding in some of th e modern and technical sound.

5.Deadpoint brings us "Brutality" a song that goes for more of a brutal style of death metal while also mixing in elements of thrash and grindcore along with a great amount of blast beats and high pitched screams kicking in.

6.Afterburner brings us "Persecution" a song that has a very brutal approach to death metal and grindcore adding in guttural growls and a deathcore style of growling along with some melody and high pitched screams.

7.Bloodshed brings us "The Symphony Of Agony" a song that starts out with a very symphonic and epic sound before going into more of a brutal death metal direction and you can also hear a decent amount of blast beats and a slight black metal feeling in the track

8.Brainteasers brings us "Bustwork" a song that starts out with carnival samples before going into more of a brutal death/grind direction along with some blast beats and very guttural sounding growls.

9.Proteus brings us "Masquerade" a song that goes for more of an old school style of slam death metal while still being very brutal and modern along with a good mixture of both deep growls and high pitched screams.

10.Detesting brings us "In A Mad World, Only the Mad Are Sane" a song that brings in a very modern, brutal and guttural approach to death metal along with a great amount of fast riffing and blast beats.

11.Atra Hora brings us "Tenebris Matrem" a song that goes for more of a dark and melodic mixture of black, doom and death metal while also still being very heavy, atmospheric and melodic at the same time.

12.Dissociative Disorder brings us "Digested Alive" a song that goes for a very brutal style of death metal while also adding in a touch of grindcore and some guttural style growls along with a touch of the old school sound.

13.Putrefacation brings us "To Human Scum" a song that brings in a very heavy style of death metal along with a great amount of growls along with some old school and technical elements of the genre.

14.Gmork brings us "Through Her Mirror" a song that brings in more of a fast and melodic style of death metal along with a great amount of blast beats and the vocals are all in a growling tradition and the song also brings in a touch of thrash.

15.Miscreant brings us "Wholly Burned" a song that a song that goes for a death metal style and also has elements of thrash in the song and the music also has a 90's style old school feeling along with a decent amount of melody.

16.Zoebeast brings us "Piggies" a song that goes for more of a brutal style of grindcore along with a very powerful sounding bass guitar as well as a great mixture of death and thrash metal influences.

17.The Mutilator brings us "The Demons Here Are Those Within You" a song that goes for more of a technical style of death metal while still having a great amount of brutality, growling vocals and blast beats.

18.Aborted Fetus brings us "Private Judgement Day" a song that goes for more of a modern take on brutal and death metal while still having some melody while t he vocals bring in a very guttural approach.

19.Warder brings us "Eyes Wide Cleaved" a song that goes for a very brutal style of death metal along with a great amount of blast beats and guttural growls as well as a very powerful sound coming out of the bass guitars.

In conclusion I feel this is a very decent sounding compilation and I would recommend it to all death metal fans.

Abhoth are a band from Montenegro that plays an atmospheric form of death metal and this is a review of their self titled 2014 ep which was released by Darknagar Records.

A very dark and atmospheric keyboard sound starts off the ep and a few seconds later it starts mixing in with a more heavy sound along with some death metal growls and the music is also very heavily rooted in the 90's style while the keyboards give the songs more of an up to date feeling and the band also brings in a decent amount of melody.

When solos and leads are utilized they bring in more of a dark and melodic atmosphere to the bands musical style and all of the musical instruments on the recording have a very powerful sound to them and the songs stick to mostly a slow to mid paced direction while the songs do have there fast moments at times.

Abhoth plays a style of death metal that is very dark and old school sounding while the keyboards give the music more of an occult and epic, atmospheric sound, the production sounds very powerful while the lyrics cover Cthulhu Mythos.

In my opinion Abhoth are a very great sounding atmospheric death metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Blood Of The Ancients". 8 out of 10.

Necroheresy are a band from Slovakia that plays a heretical mixture of death and thrash metal and this is a review of their 2014 ep "Divine Betrayal" which was released by Satanath Records.

A very dark and evil sounding intro starts off the ep along with some melodic ritualistic chants which also return on the last track and after the intro the music goes for more of an old school death metal sound along with some growls and screams and you can also hear some melody being mixed in with the heavier parts and after awhile the music speeds up and starts incorporating blast beats.

While the music is mostly death metal you can still hear a great amount of thrash elements in the bands musical style along with a decent mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them and the music also brings in a lot of the more raw underground metal sound of the 80's at times and the solos and leads are in an old death death/thrash direction.

Necroheresy plays a style of death metal that is very old school and brutal sounding while also adding in influences from the more raw side of thrash to create some very blasphemous sounding music, the production sound s very professional while the lyrics are written in their native tongue and cover blasphemy, heresy and death.

In my opinion Necroheresy are a very great sounding heretical mixture of death and thrash metal and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "False prophet" and "Temple Of The Doomed". 8 out of 10.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Sepulchral Curse are a band from Finland that plays an old school form of death metal and this is a review of their 2014 ep "A Birth In Death" which was released by Chaos & Hell Productions.

A very heavy, dark and raw old school death metal sound starts off the ep along with some growls and blast beats a few seconds later and the music combines elements from the American, Swedish and Finnish death metal scenes of the early 90's as well as bringing in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts.

High pitched screams can be heard in certain sections of the recording and when solos and leads are brought into t he music they remain true to the old school death metal sound of the bands musical style which also bring s in a small amount of dark sounding melodies at times and none of the tracks have a modern sound and could easily be mistaken for a death metla demo that was released in the early 90's.

Sepulchral Curse plays a style of death metal that is very, dark heavy and old school sounding as well as avoiding all modern trends and there is never a soft or weak moment to be heard anywhere on the recording, the production sounds very dark, raw, heavy and old school while the lyrics cover death, war and occultism themes.

In my opinion Sepulchral Curse are a very great sounding old school death metal band and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Demonic Pestilence" and "Torn To Shreds". 8 out of 10.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Ara are a band from Wisconsin that plays a very technical and brutal form of death metal and this is a review of their self released 2014 album "Devourer Of Words".

A very distorted sound starts off the album along with some guitar riffing that evolves into more of a technical death metal sound along with some growls, melodies and all of the musical instruments having a very powerful sound to them and after the intro the music starts getting more brutal and also incorporates more blast beats.

There is a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts present throughout the recording and the vocals also get more guttural at times while the vocals are mostly a traditional style of death metal growling and they also add in high pitched screams into certain sections of the recording and the solos and leads also add more of a melodic and technical sound to the recording when they are utilized and one of the tracks also bring in a few seconds of acoustic guitars while the rest of the recording sticks to mostly a brutal and technical sound.

Ara plays a style of death metal that is very technical and brutal and they also demonstrate a great amount of talent and skill as musicians, the production sounds very professional foe being a self release d recording while the lyrics cover dark and philosophical themes.

In my opinion Ara are a very great sounding brutal and technical death metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Obelisk" "Cadaverlanche" "Execution" and "Human Garbage". 8 out of 10.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Nervecell are a band from the United Arab Emirates that plays a mixture of death and thrash metal and this is a review of their 2015 album "Psychogenocide" which will be released on January 27th by Unique Leader Records.

Middle Eastern folk music sounds start off the album and after the intro the music goes for more of an old school death metal sound which leads up to some growls and brutal blast beats along with a great amount of thrash elements being added into the bands musical style and the songs also bring in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts.

A decent amount of melody can be heard throughout the recording and the solos and leads the band uses are in a 90's style death/thrash metal vein while also bringing in a great amount of melody at times and as the album progresses high pitched screams can be heard in certain sections of the recording.

All of the musical instruments on the recording have a very powerful sound to them and the band also mixes modern and old school elements of thrash and death metal together and some of the later tracks also bring in a small amount of technical playing as well as demonstrating a great amount of talent and skill as musicians and they also bring an instrumental track before closing the album with 2 songs that bring back vocals.

Nervecell plays a style of death metal that mixes in both modern and old school elements as well as adding in a great amount of thrash influences and a small amount of Middle Eastern music to create a sound of their own, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover misery, hate, society and humanity issues.

In my opinion Nervecell are a very great sounding mixture of death and thrash metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Upon An Epidemic Scheme" "Amok Doctrine" "The Taste of Betrayal" and "Nation's Plague". 8 out of 10.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Xibalba are a band from California that has been featured before in this zine and plays a mixture of death metal and hardcore and this is a review of their 2015 album "Tiera Y Libertad" which will be released on January 27th by Southern Lord.

Deep death metal growls and a heavy metal/hardcore sound starts off the album along with the vocals also mixing in elements of the later mentioned genre and the music also brings in melody as well as a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts which also bring in a great amount of blast beats onto the recording.

When solos and leads are added into the music they bring in more of a 90's influenced death metal sound to the bands musical style and some of the songs also bring in a small amount of spoken word parts and as the album progresses element s of groove metal can be heard in certain sections of the songs and the last track is 12 minutes in length and also brings in a small amount of clean playing along with some clean singing vocals while still having its heavy moments.

Xibalba remains true to the death metal and hardcore mixture of previous recording and all of the songs are heavily rooted in 90's extreme metal, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics are written in Spanish and cover violent, hateful and political themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Xibalba and if you are a fan of this band, you should enjoy this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Enemigo" "Pausa" and "El Vacio". 8 out of 10.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Terror Empire are a band from Portugal that plays a modern mixture of thrash and death metal and this is a review of their 2015 album "The Empire Strikes Back" which will be released in February by Nordavind Records.

A very dark and melodic sound starts off the album along with some. clean playing being added into certain sections of the recording as well as returning on some of the later tracks and after awhile the music gets a lot more heavy along with some guitar leads that are a huge part of the recording and also add more melodies into the songs when they are utilized.

After the intro the music goes into more of a heavier thrash direction direction along with some aggressive vocals, blast beats and some death metal growls and you can also hear elements of hardcore and groove metal in the bands musical style and at time s you can also hear a small amount of acoustic guitars in some of the tracks.

At times some of the songs bring in a small amount of hardcore style breakdowns and the songs also bring in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and as the album progresses the vocals start adding in more melody while also keeping around a very rough edge to them while a later track also brings in a small amount of spoken word samples and all of the musical instruments on the recording also have a very powerful sound to them.

Terror Empire plays a style that mixes modern thrash with groove metal and the heaviness of death metal to create a sound of their own, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover dark, violent and real life themes.

In my opinion Terror Empire are a very great sounding mixture of thrash, groove and death metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Empire Strikes" "Skinned Alive" "Reality Check" and "Break the Cycle". 8 out of 10.

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Skaldir: We are a new old school death metal project from Sweden/Germany that formed in 2009. We released the demo tape "Death Incarnate" in 2010 and will release our first album "Grave Offerings" in February 2015.
Currently we have three members: Thomas (Vocals), Markus (Drums) and Skaldir (Guitars, Bass, Keys). We also have a guest lead guitar player called Niel that played most of the solos on "Grave Offerings".

2.You have a full length coming out in February, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2010?

Skaldir: We play death metal inspired by bands as Edge of Sanity, Entombed, At the Gates, early Death and Carcass. It's important to us to have riffs you can follow as a listener, and songs that you can remember, because they also have melodic elements. Still it should sound brutal. The biggest difference to the demo is probably that we now have a more technical drummer.

Thomas: I think we've sort of found our path. A three track cassette like Death Incarnate can't show the full range of a band's sound as well as an album. And Skaldir has worked a lot with the overall production so it all sounds great

3.This is the first release to be released in 5 years since the demo, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Thomas: We wrote most of the songs pretty quickly once we started working on the album. But for various reasons we ended up recording and re-recording them all a couple of times. And since we all have other bands, jobs and stuff outside of Abscession time went by, and once we were finished with the production we had to find a label that wanted to release the album. Eventually we decided to go with Final Gate Records and now we're just waiting for the albums to be pressed and shipped.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Thomas: Well, it's death metal so we explore themes close to the heart of this style. I always try to weave short stories or imageries with my lyrics. I never liked lyrics that were just a bunch of ”cool” words mashed together. To many bands make shit like that, stuff that doesn't mean anything. I grew up listening to bands like Iron Maiden and for me the lyrics were a big part of the experience. So that's what I try to bring with me when I write lyrics.

The subjects on Grave Offerings range from the Lovecraft-inspired ”Where sleeping gods dwell” to the track ”Cabin 13” which lyrically draws heavily on slasher films from the 80's. In fact, I think many of the lyrics read like short horror stories. Hopefully the listeners will get some gruesome images in their minds when they read along to the tracks, haha.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscession'?

Skaldir: We wanted to have a one-word name for the band, like a lot of the old bands had. Since most of words are already taken it was not an easy task. The name also should have a classy feel. Brutal and concise. We all liked "Abscession".

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Thomas: Since we all live far apart we're actually a studio band so far. But there may be live shows in the future, although none are planned at the moment.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

None as of yet.

8.The new album is coming out on Final Gate Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Skaldir: Marc of Suffer Production, who released our demo tape, actually gave us the tip with Final Gate Records. It's a german label and a sublabel from Rotten Roll Rex. What we liked was that they seem to make things not too complicated. Label owner Marco is a nice bloke who looks out for us. He even told me once that if we are ever unhappy about something we can visit him and beat him up. ;)

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

Skaldir: The promotion of "Grave Offerings" just started, but so far it has been very positive. With our demo the reactions totally blew our minds. We didn't even really make promotion, but the word spread all by itself, and we even got "Demo of the year" on some blogs. It was pretty insane for having just started with the band.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Thomas: For my part, I'm working with blackened death/thrash band Throne of Heresy to record and release a full length album during 2015. We've got all the songs written and are entering Endarker Studio (run by Marduk bassist Devo) in March. After that we'll likely go on to play as many gigs and shows as we can fit into our busy schedules!

Skaldir: I'm involved in a lot of projects with different musical styles. I played in the Pagan Metal Band Hel and I am also in Elane and Over The Hill.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Skaldir: We wanna continue with a more epic concept and break out of the 3 - 4 minute songs maybe. We have spoken about a lyrical concept and a lot of new music already has been written.

Thomas: Yeah, this ”epic” concept is something we all would like to explore and we will likely devote one album to it. Then I think we'll dive right back into making grisly death metal again, just to stir things up a bit. We like doing the stuff we like so I guess we'll see where it ends up though!

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Thomas: Well, I find it intersting to mix things up a bit and I like lots of different music. My death metal influences are mainly from swedish style death like EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH etc but I also enjoy more progressive stuff like OPETH. I always like stuff that has hooks in it but which also grows on you with every listen. I think maybe that's where our death'n'roll-style influences come from, since I really like that kind of stuff when it's done in moderation. But then there's a whole range of bands outside the realm of death metal that influence me in different ways. Everything from classic IRON MAIDEN to FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM have had a huge impact on the way I write lyrics for example.

Skaldir: For me there are always some records that never get old. The first stuff I liked as a teenager, like DEATH, HELLOWEEN, EDGE OF SANITY. But I listen to a lot of different music from AOR, Progressive Rock to Death metal. And even if I have a lot of favs from the early 90s, there are gladly also some new albums that can excite me from time to time. Right now there is HAKEN - The Mountain in my CD player, I also enjoy DIRE STRAITS and classic heavy metal like IRON MAIDEN and MANOWAR.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Thomas: Haha, I've never been asked this in an interview before. Anyway, I do lots of stuff. Movies, gaming, reading, brewing beer, drinking beer... etc!

Skaldir: I like to do walks with my dog, and also like to watch TV series and movies. Mostly supernatural kind of stuff. I was never a big gamer in the past, but I found a game that I played a little bit too excessive and now found myself at rank 48 of all PS3 players in the world. :-P
Time to spend more time on playing guitar and becoming a world's top 50 death metal band rather...

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Skaldir: The new year just started and we are very excited what the death metal fans will think of our new album. So far only the press got it, but next month hopefully the fans can also hear it. We wanna thank you for the interview and wish you and your zine all the best for 2015!